Asparaginases combined with calcium salts or phenols to mitigate acrylamide in potato chips

Abstract The effects of calcium salts, including calcium chloride and calcium carbonate, as well as the phenols gallic acid and ellagic acid, on the activity of two commercial asparaginases were first studied in a model system and then in the production of fried potato chips to mitigate harmful acrylamide. In the model system, calcium carbonate, gallic acid, and ellagic acid enhanced the hydrolysis of asparagine. This promoting effect was also observed for potato chips. When asparaginase was applied together with both calcium salts or phenols in an immersion step before frying, the hydrolysis of asparagine increased compared to using asparaginase alone. These combinations were also effective in acrylamide mitigation in fried chips under moderate conditions for immersion (2.5 min at 45 °C), resulting in an overall decrease of 76−93%. Calcium salts alone prevented acrylamide formation by about 35%, the phenols by 38−43%, and asparaginase treatment alone by 51−62%. The combinations save costs by allowing lower concentrations of asparaginase and additives while minimizing the impact on the sensory properties of the final product. Thus, such combinations of asparaginase with calcium salts or phenols present an attractive option for continued minimization of acrylamide and improvement on food safety.